Marauder Mayhem
by Mandax
Summary: Do you think the Marauder's years at school were boring and uneventful? This story displays quite the contrary.
1. Chapter One

Leaving the somewhat lonesome summer following the fourth year at Hogwarts, the Marauders were thrilled to be back at the school they had come to call "home". They had visited each other periodically over the summer months, but life wasn't the same without having Severus Snape nearby to verbally, and sometimes physically, torture. Seeing one another any less then 24/7 wasn't nearly enough, of course, so coming back to Hogwarts was like a joyous family reunion.

James Potter had found his fellow Marauders, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew on the Hogwarts Express. They had joked, taunted Malfoy, and eaten chocolate frogs on the ride to the school. Now, fully confident and slightly arrogant, as usual, James hopped off the train, ready for a new year of slacking off, pulling pranks, and Quidditch. Oh yes, Quidditch. Quidditch was one of those things that made James want to be alive each day. Quidditch and...

Lily Evans stepped off the train, her emerald eyes glowing in the dusk sunlight. She laughed with a group of her friends, not taking any notice of James as they made their way past him. James heaved a heavy sigh and turned to Sirius, who had just approached him.

"It's okay, mate. One of these days she'll give you the time of day."

He grinned and gave James a friendly shove on his back. James smiled a weary smile and looked after Lily. His heart sank, and he yet again lost hope temporarily. He always bounced back, however. He had a reputation to carry out. He was one of the most popular guys in school, tied in popularity with Sirius, most likely, whom all the girls drooled over. Unfortunately for the witch population, Sirius had a habit of ignoring those who were trying to impress him, crushing their, well, crushes.

"C'mon guys, we have to find an empty one," said Remus, the taciturn, level-headed one of the group. He scanned the carriages for one that currently wasn't occupied. He thought he found a vacant one, but then noticed there was a small 2nd year crouched on the floor. He looked at him puzzled, but then shook his head and continued his search. Finally succeeding, he called after James, Sirius, and Peter to come over. James and Sirius followed Remus into the carriage, while Peter hesitantly followed after them.

"What drives these things, anyway?" inquired Peter. No one seemed to hear him, as James spoke up next.

"How can I get her attention without her hating my guts?"

Sirius couldn't help but smirk. The carriage slowly began to take motion.

"Don't be such a show-off. Dazzle her with your Potter charm."

Remus raised an eyebrow at this comment and laughed lightly. Peter laughed also, and the three others looked at him in disapproval.

"I'm not a show-off!"

"Who are you trying to fool?"

"But I'm not!"

"Riiiight."

Sirius laughed and then looked at his friend with a "C'mon, admit it," look on his face. James sighed and threw up his hands.

"Alright! I'll try not to brag, even though I never do."

"Good luck," muttered Sirius sarcastically. He grinned and ate his last chocolate frog.

When they arrived at the school, they walked up the steps in a crowd of anxious witches and wizards. Peter tried to keep up with his friends, but was having a bit of trouble doing so, and they surely weren't waiting for him. James and Sirius stood side-by-side as they entered through the great oak doors; Remus was directly behind them. Peter had fallen behind and was trying to make his way through a crowd of gossiping 4th years. His efforts were futile, and he didn't reunite with the others until they were sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

The students were creating a buzzing sound throughout the hall as they all spoke to each other, not caring to keep quiet. James couldn't stop talking about Lily, and Sirius found it hard to listen. Peter gazed at the others around him or listened to James's unceasing whining. Remus quietly talked with a fellow 5th year who was sitting next to him.

"She says I'm conceited. Am I really _that_ conceited?"

Sirius rolled his eyes and shrugged as he had been doing for the past few minutes.

"Because if I am, then I have to prove-"

The headmaster of Hogwarts stood and every person fell silent. He scanned the room and lightly stroked his beard.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts."

James didn't hear a word the headmaster said after that. He had more important things to worry about.

"Maybe if I do well in the first Quidditch game and be modest about it afterwards, she'll change her mind," he thought.

The rest of his thoughts were relevant to this topic until he finally snapped back into reality.

"I won't keep you from your feast any longer..."

He glanced at Sirius, who was apparently trying to stifle a yawn, and then glanced at Remus, who had looked as though he had been paying attention. Peter was watching James intently, studying his every move in an uncomfortably fervent manner. James looked at him curiously and then jumped a little when the food suddenly appeared on the table. Slightly embarrassed, he acted as though nothing had happened and began to pile food onto his plate. He then quickly grabbed the nearest plastic spoon and filled it with peas, ready to launch this ammo at any random passerby, but a much more pleasing target was within range.

"Snivellus."

Sirius spoke the cruel nickname, for he had followed the direction of James's glare. They looked at each other, and as if reading one another's minds, Sirius called out to Snape.

"Snivellus! Look!"

Unfortunately for Severus, he turned around to face his enemies and was hit directly in the face with the peas that once resided in James's spoon. This had to have been the most minor trick they had done over the past 4 years at Hogwarts. They quietly chuckled while Severus gave them a menacing look and cleaned off his face with a napkin.

"I hate these stupid tricks. We can only do the ones worth planning when Lily's turned..."

James cast a worried expression over at Lily, who was at the other end of the table. He then turned his gaze to his plate of food and began to eat at an exceptionally rapid pace.

"What are you doing?"

Remus was done chatting with the witch to his right and looked over at his friends, curious to why James was almost inhaling his mashed potatoes.

"I'm going to go talk to her," said James, after swallowing a rather large mouthful of food. The other three looked at each other with and expression of pity, for they knew that every time James spoke to Lily, it ended in utter disaster.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Remus. Whenever James was turned down, he acted as though it was nothing, but his true friends had to listen to his constant moaning and complaining.

"'Course it is. Don't want her thinking I forgot about her, eh?"

James grinned with newfound excitement and self-esteem, while the others watched him with pleading looks. They dreaded what came next.

"Evans! Hey, Evans!" James called across the table. He stood up and then walked over behind where she was sitting. He leaned forward, his head now in-between hers and the guy's head whom was on her left.

"What do you want, James." Her tone certainly contained annoyance and irritation.

"Well, the first Quidditch game is between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and I was just...thinking...wondering...if you'd be there to watch me?"

Lily's expression was now full of surprise and she looked at him, and as if his disposition proved he was being serious, she nodded.

"Of course I will. I mean...I always go to Quidditch games, no matter who's on the team."

Her eyes averted from his and he, somewhat satisfied and somewhat put-down, stood up straight again and made his way back to his friends.

"Well? I didn't hear any yelling. Couldn't have been that bad." spoke Sirius, trying to sound comforting, though it was obviously a joke.

"I asked her if she was going to the game. She said yes, but that she would have, even if I wasn't there."

He looked at his empty plate in sorrowful misery once again, and this time Remus spoke.

"Don't worry about-"

"I was nice this time! She didn't even care!"

Remus blinked and stared, not quite expecting the interruption, but he didn't seem to mind.

"I don't know what to do about her. She's impossible!" argued James. He slammed his fist on the table in frustration, and for the first time in the Great Hall, Peter spoke.

"Maybe she's just like you. Maybe she finds it difficult to be polite to someone she likes..."

They stared at him in such an alarming way that they made him shut up for the rest of the night.

"That's crazy talk," said Sirius. "If she doesn't like manners or bragging, what else is left?"

"Maybe she likes romance," replied Remus, as he put more food on his fork. He wasn't looking at the others, so he didn't see James's look of perplexity.

"You know, girls like that kind of stuff."

James stared at Remus, even though Remus wasn't looking, and thought to himself.

"How would you know, Moony? Got a girlfriend?" said Sirius jokingly.

Remus gestured to his right to where the girl he had previously been engaged in conversation with was now chatting with the girl on her right.

"Listen," he whispered.

Listening wasn't the easiest task, and James could barely hear a word they were saying. They were obviously trying to keep the volume of their voices low. In a moment, however, he distinctively heard the word "Remus".

"Alright, explain yourself," demanded James. In a hushed voice of his own, Remus replied to his command.

"I gave her flowers at the end of last year for helping me in Potions, and she's _still_ telling the other girls about it!" He had a look of satisfaction on his face. James mouth dropped.

"Bloody flowers! That's it! Why didn't she just say so?"

"Looks like someone has a crush on you, Moony," said Sirius laughing. Remus could see the girl staring at him from the corner of his eye. He blushed slightly and turned back to his friends.

"Hey, Moony, isn't it almost a full moon?" asked Sirius in a stern tone.

"Yes," replied Remus hesitantly, "BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?" he announced very loudly so that anyone who may have overheard might have forgotten their suspicions. Sirius chuckled and answered meekly.

"I just thought I'd remind you that the Whomping Willow field trip is coming up soon."

Remus gave him a look that clearly said, "Shut up or I'll pry out your lungs."

Sirius just leaned back and laughed, amused at his own assertive attempts to frighten Remus. He was sure one day he'd end up giving him a heart attack.

James awoke unusually early the next morning, changed into his robes, and dragged the others out of bed.

"What are you doing, Prongs!" protested Sirius as James opened the curtains to the window and light streamed into the room.

"I have to see her before classes start."

Peter reluctantly climbed out of bed and changed, while Sirius still searched for darkness under the sheets. Remus was already awake and dressed, standing behind James as he gave orders.

"C'mon Padfoot! I...want...you...to...see...this!" He said this while pulling the sheets off Sirius. In the end, Sirius finally gave up, and with a lot of groaning, got changed and followed the rest down to the Great Hall.

Lily Evans was sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table alone, which didn't happen very often. James, very happy for himself, took out his wand and said, "Watch this," to the others quickly. He slowly made his way toward Lily, and she caught sight of him when he was a few feet away.

"Another question, Potter?" She raised an eyebrow. Her expression was somewhat bored, as if she couldn't care less what meaningless words escaped James's mouth.

"Not a question. Just a greeting." She grinned as she looked at him curiously. He lifted up his wand and gave it a flick.

"Rosendia!"

In an instant, rose petals began to fall all around where Lily was sitting, and she gasped in surprise and what looked like delight. She looked up as they slowly glided to the floor all around her. At this point, James was practically beaming, convinced that it had been a success. When the petals stopped falling, she looked at James gaping, apparently not finding the right words to say. James decided to break the silence.

"Don't touch them, though, or they'll disappear. These are for holding."

Behind his back, he had been holding roses the entire time. He presented them to Lily and she took them, still gaping.

"They're...they're...lovely." Lily was obviously shocked, which proved that James never did this sort of thing. Utterly pleased with himself, James smiled his charming smile and casually walked to the other side of the table and took a seat. Remus, Sirius, and Peter followed, all of them in shock.

"Wow, you really took what I said to heart, didn't you?" asked Remus smiling. "It seems to have worked." He glanced over at Lily, who was staring at the flowers, apparently deep in thought. James didn't say a word, but he sat there grinning while considering the fact that he might be dating Evans soon.

The time for Quidditch had finally arrived, not including the several practices James had to endure while doing his homework with the least amount of effort acceptable. It had been raining most days, and practices were frequently cancelled due to intense downpour. The Gryffindors were rather confident this year, however, so they didn't feel too bad when they skipped a practice.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, yet it was slightly overcast. The cloud coverage made it perfect Quidditch conditions; it was much harder to play with the sun's glare in your eyes. The Marauders were in the Great Hall, eating a quick breakfast before the game. James stared at his scrambled eggs with no intention of eating it. He had to get over his typical butterflies. The butterflies did indeed frequently visit him before games, though he never showed it. To others, he was the most confident person on the team, and he was, but he still got slightly nervous.

Remus had already finished eating and was reading today's edition of the Daily Prophet. Sirius was helping himself to a large stack of pancakes, and Peter was nibbling on a bagel. James, who was still waiting for the feeling of the butterflies to subside, was glancing over Remus's shoulder at the Daily Prophet.

"Nothing exciting today," noted Remus as he realized James was looking at the headlines. "They've even resorted to some Muggle news."

James shrugged and finally decided that he could eat some of his breakfast. He chewed a mouthful of eggs, when suddenly, Remus yelled, "What the-!"

He was looking under the table where they sat, apparently startled. James looked underneath as well, curious about the situation, and he was surprised to see a boy crouched on the floor.

"It's you! The same person I saw in the carriage! What are you doing under our table?" James had no idea what Remus was talking about, but also wanted to know why this guy had found refuge in an area audible of their conversation. It was highly peculiar.

The boy was shaking slightly and seemed to be intimidated. His hair was a sandy blonde and his eyes were abnormally large. He had a guilty expression, which was alarming to James.

"I..I.." That was all he could say.

Sirius was now looking under the table from the other side, just as troubled as the rest of them.

"Well if you'd like to continue to look at Remus's legs, feel free to stay where you are, as long as you can handle a beating afterwards," threatened Sirius.

The boy stared at him, his eyes wide and petrified.

"GO!"

The boy swiftly crawled out from under the table, stood without looking at anyone, and crept out of the hall. Sirius laughed, finding the scenario amusing, Remus sat there unsettled, and James and Peter had already forgotten about the situation. James was looking back over in Lily's direction, but she had been joined by her friends. Contact with her now was hopeless.

"I have to do good in today's game."

"Setting goals for yourself there, eh, Potter? Looks like you're aiming high," said Lucius sarcastically. He was the Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team. He walked over to James and company with a smirk on his face that James yearned to wipe off.

"Much higher than yours, I'd expect," chimed in Remus.

"Of course, his goals are to impress crooked-nose over there, so it's not hard to beat," mentioned Sirius, gesturing to Narcissa Black. "Can't expect much more for Malfoy, though."

The smirk was quickly wiped from Lucius's previously entertained face. His glare was quickly aimed at Sirius instead of James now, though it didn't throw Sirius off at all. He just grinned, as if it was an honor. He knew he had gotten to him. Narcissa glared in his direction, also, which was not surprising. They were cousins, but much more; they were enemies.

"I don't see you dating, Black," snapped Lucius menacingly. Sirius's smile grew wider as he looked over at a group of girls who were currently staring at him, and looked back at Lucius as they all gasped and giggled amongst themselves. Lucius grunted and decided to torment James once more. He walked up close to him and stared him in the eyes.

"Don't screw up, Potter, because if you do, I'll be watching."

There was something eerie about how Lucius spoke those words, as if they had a deeper meaning. James pushed that feeling aside, however, and replied viciously.

"Don't worry, I'll leave you the job of screwing up, since it comes so naturally."

Lucius sneered, turned on his heel, and swiftly made his way out of the hall, Narcissa trailing behind. James watched him, sheer loathing ready to erupt from his body. He somehow always managed to keep this intense hatred locked away somewhere deep inside him. It wouldn't last much longer.

"I'll show that stupid git," he said through clenched teeth as his hands became fists.

The wind through his hair was the well-known feeling that Quidditch brought to its players as they soared above the Grounds. James was flying through the air before the game started, searching for a certain red-head in the crowd. It was nearly impossible, for there was a huge amount of people, and they were all wearing crimson colors. It was as if he was trying to find Waldo in a crowd filled with people wearing red and white striped shirts. He sighed and kept searching until he felt the tip of his broom bump into something ahead of him. He whipped his head around to see what he had hit and was relieved to find that it was Andromeda Black, Sirius's only good-natured cousin.

"Ow! What the-..Oh James! Watch it, will ya?" said Andromeda grinning. She was now facing James on her broom.

"What's wrong, mate? You look pretty glum."

All he could do was shake his head in sorrow and fly away, not in a rude fashion, but in a way that portrayed depression. She watched him glide away, her eyes filled with concern.

"She said she'd be here. She has a lot of nerve," mumbled James to himself as he got into position. He was very moody at the moment, which in a way was good thing because he'd be more aggressive. It was also a detriment, however, because he may become blinded by his own anger.

The Snitch was released. There was a low roar of cheering from the crowd as the whistle blew and the game began. Gryffindor gained possession of the ball. James zoomed down parallel to the player that had the ball. The ball was passed to Andromeda. James, thinking he wouldn't get the ball at the moment, turned to quickly scan the crowd once again. To his utter delight, he spotted Lily, and if he didn't know better, he thought he saw her looking at him. He blushed slightly and was about to wave when he felt a sharp, searing pain in his leg. He'd been hit by a bludger. He looked around him to find which Beater did this and realized that no Beaters were within the range. Lucius's laughter answered his suspicion.

"He's not allowed to hit a bludger!" protested James loudly to anyone who would hear. That was it. He was going to show Malfoy. He was going to show Lily. He was going to win.

He accelerated forward on offense when Macenzie Harrington threw him the quaffle. He swiftly launched it into the hoop farthest to the right and scored. The Gryffindors burst into a loud applause, and the claps and yells echoed throughout the area. James did not heed this ovation. He dodged a quick-moving bludger and was trying to catch up to the Slytherin with the quaffle. After he was right beside him, he tilted sideways to try and make him get off-balance. This maneuver was unsuccessful. The Slytherin stayed perfectly balanced and inched ever closer to the hoops. James, now feeling even more aggressive, rammed into the player's side, causing him to tilt over and drop the quaffle. Andromeda caught it and zoomed in the other direction. James quickly followed after her, ready for a pass.

Andromeda succeeded in making it all they way to the hoops, however, and scored with ease. The Slytherin Keeper was obviously off tonight, though James hardly took notice. He was too busy shooting glares at Malfoy whenever he happened to pass by. He'd do anything to distract him from the Snitch, excluding dancing nude, of course.

The score remained pretty close, Gryffindor still in the lead about 20 minutes later. James would give Lily the occasional glance, as if to prove to himself that he wasn't seeing a mirage. He was still intensely focused, however, and ended up scoring 7 more goals. The crowd's unceasing cheering from the Gryffindor side finally reached James's ears and gave him a confidence boost. Gryffindor was winning and they had been playing for quite a while now.

Suddenly, the previously loud applause now erupted to full volume when the Snitch was caught by the Gryffindor Seeker. James beamed with pride, threw up his arms, and yelled.

"Take that, Malfoy! Woo hoo!"

He didn't care if he came across as stupid because he was too engrossed in the moment of victory. He carefully landed and ran toward the stands, not even giving a thought to changing or showering at the moment. He wanted to see his friends and maybe get a comment from Lily. He hoped he was that lucky. He spotted Sirius and Remus in the third row and weaved through the crowd that was descending the stairs to get to the ground. He finally reached his friends, a large grin still plastered on his face.

"Way to go, Prongs!" praised Sirius as he clapped his hand on James's back. "Watching you play makes me want to join the team. Maybe I'll try out next year." Sirius was already off in his own world, contemplating the possibilities of being on the Quidditch team and how many more girls this would give him access to.

"Congratulations mate," spoke Remus cheerfully. Usually Peter would have been eulogizing James by now, but he was mysteriously absent, not that anyone took any notice. Remus, Sirius, and James slowly exited the Quidditch area and strolled back to the castle, all grinning with delight, knowing that they could rub this game in the Slytherin's faces for weeks. To James's disappointment, however, he wasn't graced with the presence of Lily all night.


	2. Chapter Two

The morning had rushed toward them like a speeding train, and James collided with it at full force. The sunlight began to slither its way through the exposed parts of the window, and it eventually penetrated completely when Peter stupidly pulled the curtains open. James groaned, acting almost identical to the way Sirius had acted when James was pulling him out of bed. He rubbed his eyes reluctantly and finally sat up. Lily's picture flashed in his mind, as it routinely did, which drove him to get up and get dressed. He climbed out of bed and glanced at the other beds, realizing that Peter had already left, Remus was absent, and Sirius was still sleeping. The only sound that could be heard was Sirius's light breathing. James shook his head and smiled. "Typical Padfoot," he thought.

He tiredly moped through the common room and out the portrait hole, fatigue still gripping him with a firm hold. His eyelids drooped and his body was slouched, and he hadn't the slightest clue where he was going. His aimless wandering led him straight into the Great Hall, and it was at this point that his eyes widened and his posture became erect. He raised an eyebrow as he gazed at the scene. Lily, Remus, and Peter were all sitting together. Sure, they were friends, but what was highly peculiar was that Lily's friends were all at the other side of the table. "Why would she be sitting with Remus?" he thought. Accusations began to surface immediately. Jumping to conclusions was James's specialty.

He was about to make his way over and inquire about the situation when he suddenly halted. Lily had gotten up and was walking toward him, a look of intense hatred displayed on her pale face. He looked at her in horror as she stood just a couple of feet in front of him. She was glaring, but it wasn't just a glare. It was the death glare. The glare that made James rather be cuddling with Snape then where he was now.

"Potter, I just discovered something rather interesting," she said fiercely. "So it was Remus's idea to give me those roses? And Sirius dared you?" she barked.

"What are you talking about? Sirius didn't say anything! Remus just-"

"You're not talking your way out of this one, James. I'm not falling for it. Next time you're dared to do something nice, don't bother. I don't want to be falsely flattered."

"So you _were_ flattered."

"Ugh!"

Lily stormed away in a huff, while James turned around and watched her stomp away, appalled. Every time he did something nice it always backfired. His curiosity about Lily's behavior vanished and was replaced by newfound curiosity. Why did Remus and Peter lie? With this in mind, he approached his two friends slowly, giving them a false look of happiness.

"What...why did Lily say that?" he said in an attempt to be calm. Anger was building up inside him. He had flattered her, and they had ruined his chances for them to get together.

Remus looked at him, obviously trepidacious. He muttered his words slowly and carefully to defend his case.

"James, I didn't say anything about Sirius daring you. It was Pet-"

"It was _not_ me!" Peter chimed in his squeaky voice.

"What do you mean it wasn't you? Of course it was you! Lily said-"

"You said it, not me!" Peter argued. His voice sounded strained. James eyed him suspiciously.

"No! Lily said, 'It was quite a surprise...what James did, I mean.' And I said, 'Yes, he fancies you, you know.'"

"You said that!" growled James. He couldn't believe it. Sure, it was really obvious, but he wanted to be the one to tell her, not Remus.

"Yeah, I didn't think-"

"Didn't think it would matter? My feelings don't matter, do they?"

"No, they do!"

"Sure."

There was silence. James's arms were crossed and Peter was almost smirking, now standing behind Remus who was sitting at the table. He felt betrayed. Remus had gone behind his back and told Lily that he liked her. He probably told her all the rest, too.

"Bloody hell, I can't take this anymore!" James yelled, not caring who took notice. He bolted out of the hall, leaving Remus staring after him shocked and Peter trying to stifle his unusual, high-pitched giggles.

James walked at a brisk pace, taking no notice to those he occasionally bumped into. He mumbled under his breath as he went along, muttering things like, "Arggh..Remus, that stupid git," and, "Peter looks like a mouse on steroids." Several bystanders looked at him in alarm, though they usually shrugged it off as he sped away. The only person who chased after him was Sirius. James had just passed Sirius without even realizing it. Sirius blinked, looked ahead of him, and was sure that he had just seen James.

"Prongs!"

James abruptly stopped and turned around, heading back at the same pace, his face growing redder by the second in rage. When he reached Sirius, the ranting began.

"Lily's ticked off at me because Remus told her that the only reason I gave her flowers was because you dared me too! Why would he say that! Now she hates me! Peter-"

His words were cut off when Peter walked by. The peculiar thing was that he had been walking with Narcissa, Lucius's girlfriend. He gaped at the scene, stunned that Peter would go so low as to communicate on normal terms with a Slytherin. He jumped in front of them and looked Peter in the eyes.

"What are you doing! Are you forgetting who that is? NARCISSA BLACK! Have you gone mad?"

Peter stared at him, looking as though he couldn't have been any more perplexed. James blinked, waiting for an explanation for all this madness. Narcissa looked at him anxiously and then decided to speak for him instead.

"He...uh...well...we're...," she said hesitantly, then after a moment's thought, said, "going to detention. Yeah," she muttered confidently. James glanced at her and scowled, then looked at Peter.

"What did you do?"

Peter cleared his throat and talked in almost a whisper.

"Um, well, I...I c-cursed Narcissa yesterday after sh-she said I was ch-chubby. Then she c-cursed me back-ck."

James was overwhelmed with confusion at this point, curious as to why Peter was stuttering in almost inaudible whispers and why all of his friends had gone against him, with the exception of Sirius, of course. He stared at Peter and Narcissa blankly, unsure of what to say. They watched him for a moment, and then walked away, apparently realizing he was done with his interrogation. James shook his head and heaved a heavy sigh, unable to comprehend this insanity.

"Sirius, I need to lay down."

When he spoke those words, he didn't realize that Sirius had been talking to a girl the entire time. That explained why he didn't intercede in the situation. James turned around to face him and rolled his eyes. Sirius ran a hand through his hair as the girl he was talking to giggled sweetly.

"Then I told Lucius that I would curse him into oblivion if he didn't stop, and he left, terrified. So, I saved that innocent girl's life from-"

"C'mon, Padfoot, we need to go," James said, irritated. He grabbed his robes and dragged him away from the girl as she waved and smiled.

"What are you doing? We were hitting it off!"

"You are the biggest liar I've ever seen."

"I wasn't lying...I was...predicting the future. I'm getting much better in Divination, and.."

"Save it."

James released Sirius from his grasp and let him walk freely. They went to the Gryffindor common room and sat in their favorite armchairs beside the fire. James rubbed his head in a pathetic attempt to ease his headache while Sirius whistled a tune he had heard someone else whistling earlier. James then spoke up, feeling the need to confide in someone.

"Sirius, I love Lily. Damn I love her. And now she knows. Remus told her. Just flat out _told_ her. I don't know why that bothers me so much. I guess now the fact is set in stone, even though it was already obvious. She knows..." muttered James distractedly.

Sirius typically had a short attention-span, but whenever he felt his friends were in need, he tried his best to listen. He sighed and looked at James in pity.

"It doesn't matter if Remus told her. She likes you," said Sirius, smiling mischievously.

"What?" asked James, his attention fully focused on Sirius.

"I heard her talking to that girl Jennifer who's all googly-eyed over Remus," chuckled Sirius. "'I can't keep him out of my head. He drives me nuts, but I can't help but like him,'" said Sirius in a high-pitched voice, imitating Lily while twirling a piece of his hair around his finger. He let out a hearty laugh afterwards, amusing himself with his impressions. James, however, was ecstatic.

"She does? She does! Sirius, you better be serious."

"If I'm not serious, then my name isn't Sirius. Seriously," laughed Sirius.

"This...this is...perfect." James was beaming and his eyes were sparkling like diamonds. His dreams were coming true. Sirius stared at him, highly entertained by his friend's enthusiasm.

"Earth to James..."

James shook his head and came back to reality, though he was still smiling.

Weeks passed. James ignored Remus and Peter at all costs, and every time they did happen to make contact, the communication was usually channeled by arguments. He couldn't help but blush when he saw Lily, though he was still his normal, arrogant self, not caring how he acted because he knew the truth. Things were decent enough, until Hogsmeade weekend.

Hogsmeade. It was a lovely little town in which only magic folk dwelled. There were many shops and pubs, but the one place that almost every student revolved around was the Three Broomsticks. James and Sirius, naturally, found themselves drinking the traditional butterbeers in a booth by the window. The day showed the first signs of winter as a light snowfall graced the area. James pulled his jacket tighter around him when someone pushed open the door to enter and a brisk, chilly breeze sneaked inside. He shivered and took another swig of butterbeer. Each gulp brought a warm sensation to his body, which led to the cup's emptiness in mere moments. He stood up to go get a refill when he glanced out the window and saw Lily. He leaned over and knocked on the glass to get her attention. To his delight, she turned and looked him in the eyes. "Smile, James, smile," he thought, and smile he did. The smile vanished instantly, however, when someone else came into view, and this "someone" was holding Lily's hand. His jaw dropped and astonishment consumed his body.

"Remus?"

James was furious. Remus and Lily...together. Lily smiled nervously, but Remus looked practically horrified. James held his gaze, determined to stare at him until he felt the true meaning of discomfort. Remus's mouth opened, as if to say something, but then he shut it as he felt Lily tug at his arm. She was obviously try to escape the situation. She walked ahead and pulled Remus behind her. James watched them leave and put his hand on the cold glass of the window. He scowled and sat back down across from Sirius. Be banged his fist against the table and let out a frustrated yell. He looked up at Sirius, who was still looking out the window. Apparently, he had witnessed the scene, also, and was paralyzed with disbelief.

"Sirius...tell me that was some kind of...dream," growled James impatiently.

"It was bizarre enough to be one," replied Sirius, who was still gaping.

James didn't know what to do. The love of his life had betrayed the truth he thought he had come to know. He stood up and wandered over to get the refill he had previously desired. He lazily dropped the cup on the bar table and requested more, when Lucius walked up next to him. James eyed him viciously, not in the mood for any more drama. Lucius smiled wickedly and ordered a drink for himself. James sat on his stood and avoided any further eye contact with him, hoping they wouldn't have to converse. His stool suddenly wobbled when someone accidentally knocked into him from behind. He regained his balance and turned around to see who stumbled into him. It was very odd. He didn't only recognize the person, but it was the same little boy that had been under their table in the Great Hall. He shrugged and turned back around, noticing the unusually satisfied look on Lucius's face. He got his drink and slid off the stool, glancing back as he walked away. He sat down once again and thought. "Lily doesn't like me."

Then another thought crossed his mind: If she was with Remus, did that mean that Sirius had lied to him? His eyes narrowed and he cleared his throat to get Sirius's attention, since he had diverted it back to the window. Sirius looked at him curiously, and James's expression accurately portrayed his anger.

"You lied to me! Lily doesn't like me at all!" James shouted in anger. Half of the pub was staring at him by now because he was causing quite a commotion. Before Sirius could even open his mouth to protest, James had gotten up and pushed the door open to leave the Three Broomsticks. The wind danced around him, ruffling his hair and sending shivers down his spine, but the chills weren't only from the temperature. They were chills that developed from fear, despair, hopelessness, and intense anger. He carried his butterbeer with him and gulped the whole thing down. He tried to force the dregs of the drink to slither down the cup into his mouth, but when he wasn't successful, he threw the glass carelessly into the nearby wall and heard it shatter.

Everything seemed dark in the castle. Candles were the only source of goodness and light that illuminated the shadows in which James felt he belonged in. He walked aimlessly through the corridors, sulking in his misery, trying to fully comprehend what had happened that day. At the moment, he didn't have any friends. At the moment, he didn't have any happiness. At the moment, he didn't have any hope. He had to escape. He was locked in shackles and tugging helplessly at the chains that bound him to his depression. He couldn't escape the thoughts that were swarming his mind. There was no reason for him to be there. No one cared for him; they all went against him. It was time to move on. It was time to get away from the despair.

Everything looked inviting to him, though everything was seductively sinister. Every object, every person, and every animal seemed to taunt him or tempt him. He walked through the dimly lit halls drowsily, not caring where he ended up. He only felt semi-conscious, but he didn't stop. He pushed opened the great, oak doors and walked onto the Grounds. It was bitterly cold, and he was lacking in the attire required for warmth. He shivered violently, but plowed on, determined to get somewhere, though his destination was unknown.

His vision became slightly blurry. His strides gradually became wobbles. The lake came into view. Parts of it were covered in sheets of ice from the cold, and it stared menacingly at him.

"Come here," it said. The water called to him. His breaths were quick and deep, almost rushed. He was trying to think clearly, but he slowly felt control slipping from his grasp. An idea suddenly gripped him. He was going to transform. That would make what he was about to do easier. Much easier.

A gust of wind soared past him. The trees in the Forbidden Forest swayed dangerously, the darkness within it haunted him. The whole area looked like it was from some kind of evil fun house. He focused his attention on the lake. He had to do this now. He closed his eyes tightly and fought to keep balance in the unusually strong wind. His feet planted firmly on the ground, he concentrated on his Animagus form-a stag. He visualized every detail he was to become, and in less than a moment, he felt his limbs growing longer, horns emerging from his head, and hooves forming at the bottom of his skinny, almost frail legs.

The stag was frozen like a deer in headlights. If it was to act, it would act rashly. It would lose control and go wild, unable to differentiate between right and wrong. It stared at the lake, intent on what it was to do. It finally moved. It walked slowly toward the edge of the water, taking careful steps as it went. It had to be done properly.

Sirius sat up in bed, dripping in cold sweat. He had just had a horrible dream in which James had perished. He panted and looked at James's empty bed, panic overwhelming him. He jumped up and frantically searched through his trunk for a piece of parchment that would aid him. The grasped the Marauders Map and opened it, smoothing the wrinkles. He took out his wand and whispered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" followed by "Lumos!" The tip of his wand lit up and the map's contents appeared simultaneously. He searched for the little dot that said "James" beneath it, but couldn't find it inside the castle. Worry was nagging him, and his eyes darted every which way, desperately searching for James. Finally, his eyes stopped when he saw the dot moving slightly out on the Grounds. Sirius ran over to Remus's bed and shook him awake.

"Remus! REMUS! Wake up! James is in trouble!"

Remus sat up and rubbed his eyes, groaning. He had not comprehended exactly what was going on. He yawned and complained about Sirius waking him at such a late hour.

"What's going on?" inquired Remus while yawning.

"James is in trouble. He's out by the lake. Let's go."

Remus immediately grew alert and quickly got out of bed. Sirius went over to James's trunk and took out his invisibility cloak. Throwing the cloak over himself and Remus, they scurried out of the dormitories, through the common room, out the portrait hole, and headed toward the doors...

The stag's heart was beating faster. Its breaths became shorter and quicker as the anxiousness and terror took full possession. James was present, though he couldn't think logically. All he could think about was how Lily liked Remus, how all of his friends had betrayed him, and how life wasn't worth living anymore. The freezing water was the solution to all of that. He would never have to suffer again. All he had to do was go in...


	3. Chapter Three

"James!"

Sirius grasped the cloak and yanked it off them, sprinting toward James. Remus followed after, though Sirius had a plan. As Sirius ran, he grew shorter, hairier, and faster. He transformed into his Animagus form, the big, shaggy, black dog that would try and save James. Remus stared at the sight, slowing down, knowing there was nothing he could do.

Suddenly, there was a voice. A very familiar voice. A voice you wouldn't expect to hear at a time like this.

"James!" it called. "JAMES!"

The shaggy dog was right on the stag's tail, now, and was about to bite its leg and drag it backwards when the stag came to a halt on its own. The dog skidded to a stop to prevent from flying into the lake itself and sat there, puzzled. Then, it heard the voice again, and it all made sense.

"James...don't do this! I...I love you..."

The stag's head turned slowly, its eyes filled with yearning and high hopes. Its body turned slowly with its head, and it began to make its way farther and farther from the water, being followed closely behind by the dog. The stag transformed back into James, who was looking tiresome and weary, hoping that what he was hearing wasn't just his imagination.

"What?" he asked, unsure of what he was asking.

"I love you," spoke Lily clearly.

It was as if all of his hopelessness, fury, and fatigue had evaporated from his soul. He locked eyes with her, desperately hoping this wasn't just a dream. None of it made sense, but it was real enough for him. His pace quickened as he neared her, and she walked toward him. James wrapped his arms around her and held her close as if he would never let go. He never wanted to lose her. He loved her so much it hurt. His heart ached from having to hold his emotion to himself this entire time, but he felt overwhelmingly relieved to finally say these words.

"I love you, too."

Lily sobbed quietly from sheer happiness and disbelief. Remus smiled as he watched them, and Sirius, having transformed back, was now grinning. Lily and James stopped hugging and looked at each other, their eyes filled with loving compassion and strength that grew from that love. They kissed under the moonlight, still hoping that it wasn't a dream, and thrilled that their hearts could mend as fast as they could break.

There was no need for apologies. There was no need to try and explain. A silent reconciliation had been borne, and there was no need to speak it in words. They were all friends again. The common bond was reunited. James didn't even ask about Remus and Lily being together. It didn't matter now.

Because it was physically impossible for the four of them to fit under the invisibility cloak, Sirius volunteered to lead the way in plain sight, using the Marauders Map to make sure no one was nearby. The caretaker was in the library and none of the teachers were wandering the halls. Sirius marched on confidently while the others stumbled along.

"Ouch, James, watch where you're putting your elbow," complained Remus while rubbing his now bruised cheek."

"Sorry, mate," whispered James. He put his arm around Lily's shoulders and held her close. Remus struggled to stay under the cloak, his foot or arm occasionally peeking out. When they got into the common room, they took off the invisibility cloak and sat in their favorite armchairs. Sirius continued to glance at the map, his eyes widening when he saw a certain name. His jaw dropped as he mumbled incoherent fragments. James and Remus looked at him, puzzled.

"Uh, Padfoot...what's up?" asked James, not knowing what Sirius was trying to say.

Sirius laid out the map on the small coffee table in front of them and pointed to three dots that were located in the Slytherin common room. The names below the dots read, "Lucius Malfoy," "Narcissa Black," and, "Delaney Dickson". James peered through his glasses at the names and shrugged.

"So?"

"So..." Sirius had apparently remembered how to talk. "Delaney Dickson is that kid we saw under the table."

Remus sat back in his chair to contemplate what this could mean, but James jumped up and announced his encounter with Delaney at the pub.

"I saw that kid today! He was at the Three Broomsticks! He bumped into my stool and I turned around and...and...Lucius was there, too!" declared James, realization sweeping over him.

"Something's definitely going on," stated Remus matter-of-factly.

"What could they be up to?" asked Lily.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it must have to do with us. Seeing that kid three times at awkward moments is too bizarre to be a coincidence," said James seriously.

"Bloody hell, what does Lucius want with us now?" barked Sirius.

"I say we go find out," spoke James with a mischievous grin on his face. Sirius nodded in approval.

"How are we going to get into their common room? We don't know the password," said Lily, using common sense.

"Ah, we can figure it out," said Sirius in an attempt to cut off all of Lily's negative thinking. James and Sirius didn't think things through, but acted on impulse, and that was the way they wanted it to stay. Lily sighed and didn't make any valid points for the rest of the night.

It was back to the invisibility cloak, though this time they put an enlargement charm on it so that all four of them would be able to fit under it with ease. They made their way to the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was located, Marauders Map tucked securely in James's pocket. When they reached the entrance, they all paused and stared, not exactly knowing what to do.

"Well, uh...I suppose we need to guess the password," suggested James.

"Um, Flobberworm?" said Remus, almost in question form.

"The Lair of the Ugly Gits!" laughed Sirius.

"The House of Grease!" tried James.

"C'mon you guys, this is ridiculous," Lily objected. The door creaked and slid open.

"Lily, you did it! It must have been the spell 'Riddikulus'!" said James excitedly.

Lily's eyes lit up, feeling very accomplished and part of the group. The four of them quickly quieted down and proceeded inside cautiously. The dungeons weren't very homey. The light was emitted from candles that were inside of skulls that hung on the walls. It was damp and stuffy, creating an almost stifling feeling. It was eerily sinister with chains dangling from the ceiling and sections of the room that almost looked like jail cells. They all walked farther in and jumped in fright when the door slammed behind them. They turned around in unison and shuddered at the sight of Lucius, Narcissa, and Delaney. James stood his ground, however, and looked Lucius in the eye maliciously.

"What have you been up to?" asked James sternly.

"Whatever do you mean?" replied Lucius in a falsely baffled manner.

"We know you're planning something," snapped Sirius impatiently.

"Did you figure that out all by yourself, Sirius? I'm impressed," said Narcissa bitterly. Sirius sneered in her direction and returned his gaze to Lucius.

"I suppose there's no use in hiding it anymore," declared Lucius in a put-down way. He looked directly at James and smirked with pleasure because of what he was about to say.

"Delaney here," he said, motioning towards the small, frail boy, "has been, shall I say, a spy. He's helped me get information about you, though at some points he didn't do a very good job. Finding him under the table was certainly _not_ part of the plan. But, no matter, it all worked out anyway."

Remus's stared, bewildered, Sirius's jaw dropped, and James kept his aggressive expression displayed on his face.

"I'm afraid what I'm about to do might come as a shock," said Lucius casually. He suddenly whipped his arm toward Lily, who just happened to be at an arm's distance, and pulled her toward him. She shrieked in terror and began kicking and throwing her arms in an act of wild defense, but Lucius had locked his arm around her neck and had his wand to her head. She finally stopped her frantic attempt to escape and highly regretted forgetting her wand in the dormitory.

"Lily!" James shouted in horror and fear. He scowled and would have charged at Lucius if he didn't have his wand. Sirius, Remus, and James simultaneously reached for their wands, but Narcissa and Delaney did the same. They glowered at each other as they almost drowned in the tangible antipathy.

"Let her go," said James in a quietly alarming tone. Lucius simply smiled maliciously.

"But she's so pretty," joked Lucius with a snicker. "You don't deserve a girl like her. No one does. I think that means we have to kil- OW!"

A mighty stomp on the foot can come as quite a shock and suddenly release the grip you have on something.

Lily shot over to James and jumped into his arms as James smiled and kissed her head.

"Nice one," he congratulated.

"Want to try that again, Lily?" growled Lucius, who was now almost trembling with rage. "EXPELLIARMUS!"

Three voices chimed the spell in unison, and altogether James, Remus, and Sirius's wands ripped out of their hands and soared over to the Slytherins.

"How brave are you now that you're unarmed, Jamesie?" spat Narcissa. James tore after Lucius, who once again had Lily in his clutches, though she was now unconscious from a charm. Sirius and Remus held him back, however, and dragged him in the opposite direction.

"Because you don't have any chance now, I suggest you scurry along. We'll finish this conversation tomorrow," said Lucius.

"No tomorrow's-" started Remus, but then instantly silenced.

"Oh, no need to fret about that little detail, Lupin, I already know."

Remus was aghast. He glanced at Sirius and James, but both of them seemed as though they had never heard the words spoken.

"Do you think he really meant that?' inquired Remus, panic in his voice. "Do you think they really know?"

"What does it matter. You two made me leave Lily with Lucius. That's practically a death sentence!" roared James who was suffering from emotional guilt. "We just left her."

"C'mon, she'll be fine! Anyway, they took our wands, so there wasn't much we could do," said Sirius rather sensibly. This caused Remus to look at him suspiciously as if they may have traded brains. Sirius answered the unasked question.

"What? I'm not going crazy! I can be serious and practical."

James snorted and Remus tried to stifle the laughter that wanted to burst out from its confinement. Sirius shot them looks of aggravation and they both ceased their amused reactions instantly, though they resumed once he turned back around. They had decided on sleeping in the Whomping Willow tonight, thinking that if Lucius really did now about Remus's secret, maybe he didn't know where the transformation occurred. They didn't want to risk the chance of him seeing them venture under the tree. The Shrieking Shack wasn't exactly the social hangout.

The wind was brisk and the air was crisp. Shivering was constant as they trudged across the snow-licked ground. The invisibility cloak was the source of their impunity. They were planning on skipping the next day's classes, not caring how many detentions they'd have to serve afterwards. This was more important.

They reached the Whomping Willow and stepped on the root that subdued the tree's antics. They quietly walked into the passageway and followed it to the Shrieking Shack where they fell asleep the very moment they shut their eyes.

The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon and allow the moon's presence to reign over the darkening sky. Blended colors of red, violet, and deep orange swirled around the descending yellow sphere as the Marauders finally stirred awake, refreshed from a night's sleep that was truly a night and a day's sleep.

"How in Merlin's name did we sleep this long?" questioned Sirius.

"I dunno, but you guys better transform. The sun's setting pretty fast," replied Remus nervously. James rubbed his eyes, still trying to adjust to the sudden shock of being awake. Sirius kicked him and James groaned.

"Why'd you do that? I'm up, I'm up!" mumbled James loudly. He twisted and stretched until he felt fully capable of becoming a stag. He stood up and looked at Sirius as if waiting for a signal. They both nodded and closed their eyes in concentration. Remus watched them intently as if it was the first time they had done this before. In a moment's time, the beings which were once James and Sirius were now a stag and a shaggy dog. The dog looked as if it was grinning which caused Remus to lessen his worrying and relax. He did not know why he was so much more tense than usual. This question was answered seconds later.

The sound of muffled footsteps could be heard from behind the door. Remus stared in horror, hoping it wasn't Malfoy. He would tell the entire school in a heartbeat and he'd have to leave forever. He watched in trepidation as the doorknob slowly twisted opened and his worst fear was confirmed. Lucius, Narcissa, Delaney, and Lily all emerged from the shadows, and all but Lily were grinning. Lucius looked the stag in the eyes and explained.

"How did we know? A polyjuice potion here, a hair from Peter there, and wa-lah! I was one of your best friends. You tell your best friends a lot, did you know that?"

Remus glared at him and finally found words to speak.

"You were Peter this entire time?"

"Oh, no," responded Lucius, "not the _entire_ time. Often enough, however. Haven't you realized that I've been trying to have you killed indirectly all year? Did you really think James would commit suicide? He's too arrogant for that. Probably thought the world would stop turning if he left it."

The stag and dog began to move forward, the dog growling viciously and the stag's eyes glowing with hatred.

"I just slipped a little potion in James's butterbeer while Delaney created the distraction. It worked rather well until you had to show up," Lucius pointed out, looking at Remus. "I was so close to successfully killing James without having any blame. The potion would just make him overreact about his emotions, commit suicide, blah blah blah, yadda yadda, everyone's happy. But no, you had to do it the hard way. After months of snooping, we've finally found a way to successfully kill _someone_. It's too bad it had to be Lily.

Lily's eyes widened in sheer terror. She looked around frantically for an escape, but in a blink of an eye, Lucius, Narcissa, and Delaney were behind the door, pushing it so it couldn't be opened from the inside. Lily pushed back, but it was no use. Remus walked backwards, overwhelmingly frightened by the situation, and only managed to mutter one sentence.

"Lily, I am so sorry."

Lily stood pressed against the wall, hoping she'd blend in and hide from the wolf Remus was about to become. Sirius's dog form moved about restlessly while the stag approached Lily, its eyes looking into hers in an attempt to transfer his love for what might be the last time. James was not about to let Lily die without a fight. He would certainly die first.

The moon raised it all its wretched glory into the darkened sky and prevailed over the goodness and light that kept them all alive. Now the world was turned against them and they were alone to fight the terrible struggle of life and death. The transformation occurred, and Remus became a gray wolf that flashed its teeth as it growled menacingly at Lily, the only human left in its presence. The stag bent over and guarded Lily, as did the oversized dog as the wolf made its way closer and closer, focused on the smell of human flesh and the thought of the delectable taste of the blood that rushed through her veins. The stag's antlers were now pointing straight ahead as a threat and very likely a danger. The wolf did not heed this warning, and when it launched off its paws into the air, it faced the impact of the antlers jabbing its side. The wolf flew sideways into a wall while the black, shaggy dog began to move towards it. The dog returned the vicious growling and teeth-showing charade, determined to intimidate its best friend. The wolf got up and staggered sideways while trying to regain its balance and focus.

Sirius jumped onto the already injured wolf and they began to bite and scratch at each other. The dog struggled to avoid being bitten because to him it brought much greater consequences. He moved swiftly, concentrating on defense just as much as offense. He would occasionally lunge toward the wolf and managed to sink its teeth into its side at one point, causing the wolf to howl and yelp with pain. They knew this couldn't go on forever. If Lily didn't die, surely Remus would. The stag walked toward the door with Lily behind it as James decided to take advantage of the distraction Sirius was giving the wolf. He lowered his antlers in the same fashion as before and began to ram it with all its strength. Lily stood back and watched with great anxiousness, hoping he would be successful. The door finally busted open and sent Lucius and company soaring backwards. They landed hard on the wooden floor and tried to regain stability as James transformed again, hoping they wouldn't see.

"Hurry, Lily, run while they're still down! Go get the headmaster!" With those words, Lily bolted out of the passageway and ran toward the castle without any of the Slytherins even realizing it. James ran back inside and slammed what was left of the door, knowing that the Slytherins would gain full conscious momentarily. The wolf was now motionless on the floor and there was a look of intense worry in the dog's eyes. Sirius transformed back into a human and kneeled next to the wolf, observing the wounds.

"Bloody hell, I didn't mean to do that!" yelled a troubled Sirius. Blood stained the ground and flowed in little streams through the wolf's fur. Remus the Wolf was breathing deeply and slowly, obviously in a lot of pain. Sirius cringed at what he had done and jumped up with he heard the door slam open, the whole thing now falling off the hinges. Sirius couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Malfoy's haggard appearance. Lucius pointed his wand at Sirius's chest and spoke in a violent tone.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you," threatened Lucius through clenched teeth. Sirius's disposition now portrayed steadfast determination. James stood beside him confidently, both without wands and without their third friend.

"Since you two are obviously unarmed, I think we should take advantage of this," suggested Delaney in a squeaky voice.

"Who said anything about unarmed?" asked James delightedly. The others, including Sirius, looked at him curiously. Apparently only James knew what he was talking about. His hand, which had been in his pocket, whipped out. He threw a tiny capsule that he had in his hand at the three Slytherins and a pillar of smoke surrounded them. As the cloud slowly faded, only three white rabbits, a bundle of robes, and six wands remained. James and Sirius roared with laughter, and then remembering Remus's poor condition, picked up the three rabbits and the wands and used a charm to levitate Remus's wolf form out of the Shrieking Shack.

"We explained the whole thing to the headmaster," said James happily. "He decided that he had no choice but to expel Lucius. He couldn't expel the others, though, because they denied having any involvement and there was no solid proof."

Sirius moaned with dissatisfaction, having hoped that his wicked cousin would get kicked out as well. They were standing in the Hospital Wing, surrounding the bed that Remus was in.

"Listen, mate, I'm sorry for what I did," said Sirius apologetically.

"That's okay. I'm glad you did. You saved Lily," he replied, following the words with an, "Ouch!" He seemed to feel pain every time he moved. Lily smiled warmly as James hugged her, appreciating that she was alive.

"Um, James, about the whole Lily situation..." said Remus hesitantly.

"Don't worry about that. Lily told me it was her doing," he said almost amusedly, and that was all that was said on that topic.

"Where's Peter? I heard he was found tied up somewhere," asked Lily.

"I have no idea," answered Sirius, obviously not interested in his whereabouts.

"Didja know they're having trouble transforming Narcissa back into a human?" laughed Remus. He motioned to the bed next to him. James moved the curtain that separated the two areas and laughed. A single white rabbit was sitting there, nibbling on a carrot.

"I'm sure Lucius would like to hear that. She's a lot cuter as a bunny."

"Yeah, but the nose still seems rather large," said Sirius. They all laughed together, followed by another groan of pain from Remus.

"Hush!"

The voice was coming from the other side of the room, probably from the nurse. Taking no notice to the request to be silent, Sirius spoke in his normal voice volume.

"James, I've been meaning to ask you, where did you get that potion from?"

"You can thank Remus for that one. He gave it to me yesterday after he said Jennifer helped him again in Potions. He told me I could get extra credit if I turned it in to either Potions class or Transfiguration."

"But Remus, isn't that considered cheating? Some prefect you are." asked Sirius in an over-exaggerated way. Remus smirked and replied simply.

"I remember my words being, 'Here James, try to make the same potion. Use this to match the colors. It'll help.'"

James blushed and replied meekly.

"I don't remember that."

THE END.


End file.
